I mean, who reads it first?
I live for the feedback when I’ve written something. On my blog, the feedback is through the comments section and through my Stumbleupon friends. It’s almost instantaneous and very gratifying.
My fiction prose is another matter altogether. Common wisdom says to not let anyone see it until it is done, but I’m not known for being common. Or particularly wise, for that matter. When I’ve gotten a few chapters completed then I usually have Cory give it a read. Sometimes her daughter Taylor has a look too. Their feedback is invaluable. I don’t write for them but I do view them as a sampling of how readers may react. I remember the first time Taylor read some of my work. According to Cory, her eyes got real big and she said, “Mom, he’s going to be rich!” Hehe. If that doesn’t inspire, then nothing will.
Who dat?
Your ideal reader should be a person very close to you. A confidant, a supporter. An editor? Perhaps. I don’t want them to be an editor as much as I do a kind of sounding board. I’ll have editors and not only that, they are generally reading a first draft that will morph as the revisions move along.
The natural selection for your reader will probably be a spouse or SO. This logical choice is most likely to give you the support you need and the most likely to tell you is something is amiss. That works, because at this very vulnerable first stage, you don’t want a slasher. I admit that to some extent this is an exercise in ego feeding and I’m ok with that. The ego needs nutrition too, and I’ve got no illusions about this process or the feedback I’m going to receive.
Now what?
When I’ve turned over some of my writing to be reviewed by my ideal, faithful reader, I keep a couple of things in mind:
- I give it to them and leave them alone. I don’t want to even be in the same room. This is for my sake as well as theirs.
- I listen to what they have to say.
- I don’t defend.
- If I am looking for feedback regarding a specific part, I’ll ask about that directly.
- I thoughtfully consider any constructive changes they suggest.
Your ideal reader puts up with a lot of the idiosyncrasies that come with being a writer. They take the kids to soccer practice because you are in a zone and can’t leave the keyboard. They bring you a sandwich and a glass of milk when you’ve forgotten to eat for the last six hours. They tolerate you cruising around the house at noon in your bathrobe while you grumble about being blocked. Bring them into the fold. Let them have a peek at your mistress. They are in this as much as you are.
A sounding board sounds wonderful. I don’t write anything that isn’t in my blogs now, so my comments are my feedback. I think sometimes people feel intimidated by the process of giving feedback and don’t understand that what you want is a general sense of what was good and bad, not a critique out of the New Yorker.
Tracy´s last blog post..Oh, did you want me to read that?
Hi Tracy,
It is important to let them know what you are looking for. I handed over a magazine article to the subject to review for factual accuracy. After, she said she was surprised because she was ready to carve it up since she had been a writer at some point. Fortunately she didn’t find anything to carve so I wasn’t put in the awkward position of ramming the darned thing down her throat!
George
My loved ones aren’t very good critics. They think everything I write is just wonderful, unless of course it’s true (probably not). A blog or site that gives a true review of your writing would be helpful. Sounds like a new niche??
Dee Langdon – BloggerNewbie´s last blog post..Changing Hosts? Step by Step How to.. Step 2 of 4
I’m fortunate that my mom was the editor of a newspaper for 10 years and she’s edited a lot of fiction novels so I always email her my important stuff to proof.
We have a really close relationship and we’re not afraid to tell each other like it is, so she would never hold back and tell me my stuff was good when it sucked dirty butt. She has saved me from some potentially embarrassing moments.
Cassie´s last blog post..WAHMs, how many cups of coffee a day?
Hi Dee,
That trusted support is not necessarily a bad thing. There will be plenty of time for “real” critics later.
You may be on to something with the niche
George
Cassie,
Yeah, that’s quite a stroke of fortune!
After some of the pro feedback I’ve gotten, I wish I had a EdMom!
Thanks for coming by and commenting!
George
Yaknow, the few people that seem to read every post always show up in time to post a comment. I love them.
I don’t know them personally. But I love them.
My wife is so far the only one who has read any of my writing other than my blogs.
Mainly because she is SOOOO much smarter than I, has a handle on English and what not to end a sentence with, etc. etc. Also though, at this point she is the only one that would be interested.
No editor, agent, publisher, etc. so until they are finished books few others will want to read them. (These are childrens books, so lack of illustrations really puts a damper on the target audience wanting to read them).
I do help out another blog that has some published authors contributing to it and most of them are concerned about the lack of comments. The site is just over 2 months old and has about 50 contributors, but for some reason most comments are coming from the other authors. My theory was that they weren’t inviting comments (inserting some line at the end with a question), so maybe readers didn’t know they could comment. I also might suggest to him to create a sticky post that tells people how to comment (something Dee mentioned to me on one of my other blogs).
Mitch´s last blog post..Goal Milestones
Great post, George!
My wife is my second set of eyes. She is a college English graduate and one heck of a good critiquer. I also let my kids have a look, but they usually say nothing but “WOW!”
As far as the niche idea, I have done this for several years, encouraging new AND experienced writers to submit their pieces to me. I even edited a guy’s master’s thesis.
I have learned from experience that, if these writers are TRULY interested in receiving REAL feedback, then they should have no problem with me charging for my time and expertise. Other professional writers in my state association are doing the same.
You have to have “alligator skin” to be a professional writer!
Hi Guffin,
Thanks for commenting. It is really a great thing to have folks who will read your stuff beforehand.
Cheers
George
Hey Mitch,
I think Dee had a good point. Sticky is good, right?
I bet your description of your particular situation fits about 90% of the folks out there who are writing. It certainly fits me.
Glad you came by and visited. BTW are you the Cash2blog Mitch?
Cheers
George
OK, tumblemoose readers, pay attention to Wayne’s comment. You will reach the point of needing the services of a professional editor. I would go to Wayne’s site and bookmark it for when the time is right. I’ve spent a bit of time over there and my impression is that you would receive excellent value for your dineros.
Wayne, I’m glad you came by and commented!
George
If you are asking about a specific Title – no, I don’t have a blog called cash2blog.
I do run 5 blogs though, but none are cash2blog. My Johnny Optimist About Us page breaks down of me and all my sites.
My Mitchendise site is more around a concept of writing, illustrating and putting a book onto a print-on-demand type site and then promoting it (and creating merchandise for it). I am actually going through the process and writing about how I am doing it in case others want to follow.
Yes, sticky is good – it is a tool in the new wordpress that allows you to “stick” a post at the top of the blog instead of having it continually move down the page as newer posts are written.
Mitch´s last blog post..Goal Milestones
All of my writing is in my blog or the many personal journals that I have kept over the years. I love the comments that I get on my articles, even thoses who are of a different opinion. I wouldn’t learn as much if everyone always agreed with me. Thanks for your comment on Barbara’s “Patricia Times Two.” Thanks to Barbara’s blog article, I have ventured out and met a lot of new people online this week.
My husband has a book that he is writing on the Civil War. It is a fictionalized account of what one of his Great-grandfather’s might have experienced in the first two years of the Civil War. I am his proof reader. Daniel tells great stories but his grammar is really bad so I get to make all of those corrections for him. All of my articles come from my life story. Daniel is a fantastic storyteller.
Patricia – Spiritual Journey Of A Lightworker´s last blog post..Kindness—Why Is It Easier To Be Kind To Strangers?
Hi Patricia,
Welcome, and I’m glad you stopped by. I love the community over at Barbara’s site. I’m certain you will find it rewarding. I love getting comments as well. It is amazing how similar we all are, and how unique!
Cheers
George
I have nobody for a sounding board. Well, these are just blog posts anyway and not creative writing. But I’m lucky in that I have lots of supportive readers (in my experience at least), and one lady reader who keeps me honest with her forthrightness. The first time she took exception to what I wrote she suggested for me to delete her comment, if I found it too uncomfortable.
Of course, I did not not to my credit. She has become a regular reader since and a good online buddy. But I still get the occasional critical comment from her, which is a blessing in a way.
jan geronimo´s last blog post..A Tale of Three Cracked Ribs and One Little Rascal
Jan,
Thanks for such an honest and straightforward comment.
Yeah, folks that are willing to give it to you straight are worth their weight in gold.
George